photovoltaics, slow but steady. not much else counts if we don't have the juice to run it.
continuing with the energy theme, the fusion reactor is approaching unity with the next iteration predicted to >= unity, if that bad boy can generate more out than in, we'll be in a very different world 50 years from now.
Major research breakthroughs in the last 10-15 years
31–40 of 61 posts
Re: Major research breakthroughs in the last 10-15 years
#32less is more (all-time record)
Re: Major research breakthroughs in the last 10-15 years
#33Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think this is more of a planned research breakthrough. I.e. the type that doesn't happen.
I think every research breakthrough is planned. Impact on civilization is what counts. I just have an impression people are not aware of the huge impact Semantic web will have. Why there are no more startups dealing with SW problems?
I think pg's point is deeper than that. Research breakthroughs are made by one or two (usually one) very smart guys. Breakthroughs don't happen because consortiums and commitees declare "let the web be sematic!", which seems to be the case with the sematic web idea.
Re: Major research breakthroughs in the last 10-15 years
#34In 5-10 years, I'd say personal fabrication.
In 10-15 years, I'd say perhaps Human Genome
Re: Major research breakthroughs in the last 10-15 years
#35Support vector machines and other practical realizations of statistical learning theory research that began in the 1970s.
Why single out support vector machines? Sure, the kernel trick is neat but there's really nothing about them that stands out above other classification methods. It would make more sense just to say "the field of machine learning".
Re: Major research breakthroughs in the last 10-15 years
#36Christmas Tree Machines. We've seen the beginnings of home fabrication (including fabricating entire homes!) but as this technology progresses, it will impact the entire supply chain and wholesale/retail sector. May be a hundred years, though. But we've seen the beginnings already.
Re: Major research breakthroughs in the last 10-15 years
#37I'm biased: functional MRI We're just now scratching the surface as to how humans derive their intellect from 3.5 pounds of squishy grey stuff. Some questions we'll never have licked, but the future looks good.
I totally agree, even more so considering recent advances in real-time fMRI (http://paincenter.stanford.edu/research/rtfmristudy.html),
I also nominate EROS (http://www.answers.com/topic/event-related-optical-signal) as a revolution in the making. I think it will deliver some huge discoveries in the activity of the human cortex.
Re: Major research breakthroughs in the last 10-15 years
#38I'm surprised no one's mentioned it: Dexter.
Re: Major research breakthroughs in the last 10-15 years
#39Without PCR (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCR) almost none of the biotech research of the past 20 years would have been possible. In the past few years PCR has got absurdly fast and convenient. I think RT-PCR is kind of mind-blowing. You can get an off-the-shelf solution that will (in about half an hour) screen your blood for a set of known virii. Or snoop or your food for toxins. Or whatever else you want to do with DNA...
Re: Major research breakthroughs in the last 10-15 years
#40In 5-10 years, I'd say personal fabrication. In 10-15 years, I'd say perhaps Human Genome
I think he meant last 5 - 10 years?